Stuffed Zucchini Boats

The main focus of this dish is the zucchini. I happened to pair the vegetable with a simple steamed cod, but please feel free to experiment with different proteins and make the dish your own! I will say, though, that the cod provided a beautifully mild balance to the bold flavors inside the zucchini boats. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 nice fat zucchini - look for close to even thickness top to bottom
• ~2 cups halved grape tomatoes
• 1 med yellow onion - minced
• 12 black olives - minced or cut into quarters... ;-)
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1/2 cup feta cheese - cubed small
• 2 tbsp olive oil - divided
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Set your toaster oven to 350 degrees. Wash the zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and trim the ends.

Scoop out the seeds but leave "walls" at the ends to contain the filling later on. Coat the boats lightly with olive oil inside and out and season inside with salt & pepper. Go easy on the salt as the filling will have its own salt in the olives & feta.

Bake the zucchini face up for 15-17 minutes. Meanwhile, cut up all ingredients so they're ready to go.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot add olive oil garlic and onions. Saute until the onions are translucent.

Next add the tomatoes and saute until they just start to fall apart.

Finally fold in the olives and gently toss the mix until heated through.

Bring out the zucchini and fill with the mix. Top with feta cheese and return to oven for another 5 minutes.

Serve with a protein of your choosing along with a tossed salad. For this meal I chose to do a steamed cod and it worked quite well. :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Black Bean & Pumpkin Soup - A Chef Favorite

Now that Halloween is over, why not put your uncarved pumpkin to good use? :-) I actually buy extras so I can cube, vac seal and freeze the flesh for use all winter long.

Today, as the temps are dropping, it's time for a nice earthy soup with some very good health benefits. This recipe is adapted from SmittenKitchen.com who apparently found the original recipe in a copy of Gourmet magazine who first published it way back in the mid 1990s. Enjoy!

I have to say it... This is one of the best soup's I've ever made!

Ingredients:

• 3  15 oz cans black beans – rinsed and drained
• 1 cup canned peeled tomatoes – drained and chopped
• 1 1/4 cups yellow onion - chopped
• 1/2 cup shallots – minced
• 4 cloves garlic – smash-minced
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 4 cups beef broth
• 15 oz can pumpkin puree – or make your own from Halloween pumpkins
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 lb cooked ham – 1/8” dice – Use diced chicken breast for a healthier version
• 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
• sour cream and lightly toasted pepitas for garnish

 

In a food processor coarsely puree beans and  tomatoes.  Process one can beans and all tomatoes. Then add and process cans 2  &3 one at a time.

In a 6-quart heavy kettle cook onion, shallot, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper in butter over medium heat, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Be careful not to burn the butter.

Stir in bean puree. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

While the soup is simmering, use the time to roast the pepitas.

Use a dry skillet and medium heat. Remove from pan as soon as you see the color you like.

Just before serving, add meat and vinegar and simmer soup, stirring, until heated through. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Serve soup garnished with sour cream and toasted pepitas... maybe a sprig of greens if you want to get fancy. Serve with a warm crusty bread... or... as we did... a toasted English muffin. :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Tzatziki - Greek Yogurt & Cucumber Sauce

 Credit for this wonderful version of Tzatziki goes to Cookie and Kate. Visit their site for many more great recipes!

Tzatziki! Tsaht-ZEE-kee! Otherwise known as that yogurt and cucumber sauce you love at Greek restaurants but worry about mispronouncing. Tzatziki is made simply with yogurt, drained cucumber, olive oil, fresh herbs (usually mint or dill), garlic, lemon juice and salt. It’s a refreshing chilled sauce, dip or spread. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grated cucumber (from about 1 medium 10-ounce cucumber, no need to peel or seed the cucumber first, grate on the large holes of your box grater)
• 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint and/or dill
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Preparation:

Working with one big handful at a time, lightly squeeze the grated cucumber between your palms over the sink to remove excess moisture. Transfer the squeezed cucumber to a serving bowl, and repeat with the remaining cucumber.

Add the yogurt, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to the bowl, and stir to blend. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste and add additional chopped fresh herbs, lemon juice, and/or salt, if necessary (I thought this batch was just right as-is).

Serve tzatziki immediately or chill for later. Leftover tzatziki keeps well, chilled, for about 4 days in your refrigerator.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Banana Bread

 Full credit for this diabetic friendly treat goes to my good friend

Betsy Kelp Galloway

Servings: 10 slices

Time: 1 hour, plus cooling

This recipe was modified to be more diabetic friendly from a banana bread recipe published in 1973 by The American Heart Association.

The amount of white sugar was reduced from the original by 33%.

All purpose flour has a glycemic index of 85 placing it in the high range. Almond flour has a glycemic index of 1, a very low value. The all purpose flour in the original recipe version was reduced by 50% and substituted with almond flour. Wheat germ has a glycemic index of 15, which is also very low.

The glycemic index of bananas goes up as they ripen. Ripe bananas are needed to mash and incorporate but resist the temptation of overly ripening the bananas.

This bread is naturally darker in color than banana bread made only with all purpose flour. Don’t be concerned if, on first glance, it looks like it’s burning.

Keep the oven door closed for best leavening.

The modified version and the original bread have a slight crack along the top.

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup buttermilk*
• ¼ cup heart friendly oil
• ½ cup all purpose flour
• ½ cup almond flour
• ½ cup wheat germ
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, mash bananas with the back of a fork then add sugar and mix thoroughly to completely mash the bananas. Reduce the mixer speed to low to avoid splashing; add eggs, oil, and buttermilk; and blend thoroughly.

In a second bowl, gently whisk together all remaining ingredients. (For best bread results: gently spoon flour and wheat germ ingredients, one ingredient at a time, into a measuring cup then level off with a straight edge, such as the back of a table knife, before adding to the bowl. This will help keep the bread from becoming too dense.)

Add dry ingredients to the liquid mixture. Combine well but be careful not to over mix or the bread will have a tough consistency.

Pour batter into an 8” x 4” loaf pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven. Cool for 5 minutes then carefully turn out of the loaf pan.

Cut into 8-10 slices, each ¾ to 1 inch thick. For best presentation, gently remove a sliver from both ends of the loaf before slicing. A bread knife is useful to limit tearing and crumbling.

*In baked goods, the acid in buttermilk works with leavening agents, like baking soda, to provide a fluffier texture. It also deepens the flavors. If you don’t have buttermilk, try substituting ¼ cup milk plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

Weekend Ramble: Zero Net Carb Products - Are they marketing a lie?

Recently I came across a post where someone was raving about these great tortillas they found with "NO CARBS!!!" The thread that followed nearly whipped people into a frenzy of must-have-these tortillas as they thought they were going to be able to have as many tacos as they'd like without spiking their sugar.

Skeptic that I am and having grown up being taught to always look a gift horse in the mouth, I found myself scouring the internet for truths. What follows is an article I found on WebMD.com that examines this contrary notion in depth.

When a Carb's Not a Carb: The Net Carb Debate

Will counting net carbs help or hurt weight loss efforts?

When is a carb not a carb? That's the question many carb-conscious dieters are facing as they struggle to keep their carb counts within the strict limits recommended by Atkins and other low-carb diets.

In an effort to cash in on the low-carb craze, food manufacturers have invented a new category of carbohydrates known as "net carbs," which promises to let dieters eat the sweet and creamy foods they crave without suffering the carb consequences.

But the problem is that there is no legal definition of the "net," "active," or "impact" carbs popping up on food labels and advertisements. The only carbohydrate information regulated by the FDA is provided in the Nutrition Facts label, which lists total carbohydrates and breaks them down into dietary fiber and sugars.

Any information or claims about carbohydrate content that appear outside that box have not been evaluated by the FDA.

"These terms have been made up by food companies," says Wahida Karmally, DrPH, RD, director of nutrition at the Irving Center for Clinical Research at Columbia University. "It's a way for the manufacturers of these products to draw attention to them and make them look appealing by saying, 'Look, you can eat all these carbs, but you're really not impacting your health, so to speak.'"

Although the number of products touting "net carbs" continues to grow, nutrition experts say the science behind these claims is fuzzy, and it's unclear whether counting net carbs will help or hurt weight loss efforts.

What's in a Net Carb?

The concept of net carbs is based on the principle that not all carbohydrates affect the body in the same manner.

Some carbohydrates, like simple or refined starches and sugars, are absorbed rapidly and have a high glycemic index, meaning they cause blood sugar levels to quickly rise after eating. Excess simple carbohydrates are stored in the body as fat. Examples of these include potatoes, white bread, white rice, and sweets.

Other carbohydrates, such as the fiber found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, move slowly through the digestive system, and much of it isn't digested at all (insoluble fiber).

Also in this category of largely indigestible carbohydrates are sugar alcohols, such as mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, and other polyols, which are modified alcohol molecules that resemble sugar. These substances are commonly used as artificial sweeteners.

In calculating net carbs, most manufacturers take the total number of carbohydrates a product contains and subtract fiber and sugar alcohols because these types of carbohydrates are thought to have a minimal impact on blood sugar levels.

For example, the label on PowerBar's new double chocolate flavor "ProteinPlus Carb Select" bar says it has "2 grams of impact carbohydrates." The Nutrition Facts label on the product says it has 30 grams of total carbohydrates.

Just below the nutrition facts box, the "impact carb facts" box provided by the manufacturer explains, "Fiber and sugar alcohols have a minimal effect on blood sugar. For those watching their carb intake, count 2 grams." That's 30 grams minus the bar's 27 grams of sugar alcohols and 1 gram of fiber.

The Skinny on Sugar Alcohols

But researchers say the impact of sugar alcohols on blood sugar levels and the body is not fully understood, and they may also cause problems in some people.

"There are some sugar alcohols that can raise your blood sugar," says Karmally. "Certain sugar alcohols do have a higher glycemic index, and they still are not counted as carbohydrates by these companies."

"When you tell a person 'net carbs' or 'impact carbs,' it's very confusing," says Karmally. "A person with diabetes may think, 'It's fine for me to have as much as I want.'"

People with diabetes are advised to closely monitor their intake of carbohydrates because their bodies can't produce enough insulin to keep blood sugar levels within a safe range.

"I think we should not misguide people and make them aware that these sugar alcohols also contribute calories," says Karmally. "Too much of them can actually have a bad effect, and some of them can also have a laxative effect."

Although sugar alcohols have been used in small amounts in items like chewing gums for years, researchers say little is known about the long-term effects of consuming large amounts of these substances.

Registered dietitian Jackie Berning, PhD, says she steers her patients against products containing sugar alcohols for those reasons.

"I just don't know how they're going to react. We've never put that much in," says Berning, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. "Some are going to get diarrhea, and some are going to have gastrointestinal problems."

Calories vs. Carbohydrates

Berning says the larger issue she has with products that tout a low "net carb" count is that they also often contain a lot of calories.

"It's my guess that most people are restricting carbohydrates because they want to lose weight," Berning tells WebMD.

"The point I think they're missing is that you may have 2 net carbs in this bar but you've also got 260 calories," she says referring to double chocolate Powerbar. "I don't care that it's only 2 net carbs. The thing is, have you done enough exercise, have you balanced the rest of your diet to put in 260 calories in that bar -- whether it has 30 grams of carbohydrates or 2?"

Rather than focus on what she calls "the little c" of carbohydrates, Berning says people interested in weight loss should focus on the "big C"-- calories.

Karmally agrees and says terms like net carbs shouldn't trick dieters into thinking, "This is a free lunch, and I can have as much as I want," just because a food company says the impact or net carbs are only so much.

"You lose track of the fact that foods have calories, and what has impact on weight management is the number of calories you consume and the amount of exercise you do," says Karmally.

Earlier this year, the FDA's Obesity Working Group also advocated a simple "calories count" approach to battling obesity and helping people make healthy food choices.

"Our report concludes that there is no substitute for the simple formula that 'calories in must equal calories out' in order to control weight," says FDA Acting Commissioner Lester Crawford in a news release announcing the report.

In addition, the report recommended that the FDA respond to requests to define terms such as "low," "reduced," and "free" carbohydrates as well as provide guidance on use of the term "net carbs." Several industry and consumer groups as well as food manufacturers have petitioned the FDA to set official "low carb" levels as well as take action on "net carb" claims.

Until the agency takes action on the carbohydrate claim issue, experts say carb counters are probably better off eating foods that are naturally low in refined carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, rather than highly processed foods like snack bars, pastas, and sweets that have had their natural carbohydrates stripped away.

"Whole foods, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, should be the foundation of diet," says Karmally. "Because if you miss out on these foods, then you end up missing out on a whole bunch of nutrients and antioxidants that have a potential benefit on reducing the incidence of chronic, degenerative diseases."

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Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support!

Blessed be… and happy cooking!

                                                            Chef Michael R

Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers - Chef Michael's Own

Deer season left me with a freezer full of venison once again, so here I am playing with flavor combos and techniques. There is quite a bit of prep work to get this slow cooker going so start early enough to leave 4-5 hours of cooking time. The end result is absolutely worth the effort! 

I use venison in my stuffed peppers but you can absolutely use lean beef as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb ground venison or beef
• 1 yellow onion - chopped
• 5 cloves garlic - smashed & minced
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 28 oz can whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree
• 1/4 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
• 4-5 orange and red bell peppers depending on size
• 1 cup long cook pearl barley - yields 2+ cups
• 3 cups beef stock
• 1 handful broccoli rabe - blanched and then chopped
• 1 cup baby portobello mushrooms - chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried basil
• shredded Parmesan for final garnish 

Preparation:

Bring the beef stock to a boil. Thoroughly rinse the pearl barley, add to boiling stock and simmer for 25 minutes, covered. Drain and reserve remaining stock for later.

Take one tomato from the 28 oz can and chop it up. Combine onion, garlic, tomato, Aleppo pepper and olive oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Mix, microwave 2 min on high, mix and repeat once.

Start your slow cooker on low. Cut the tops from the peppers and remove insides as best you can.

Once your peppers are prepped, get a large bowl and combine everything for the filling, including ~1/2 cup of the reserved beef stock. Mix well using hands.

At this time cut up the remaining canned tomatoes and start a gentle saute in a separate skillet. Season with salt, pepper and some garlic powder. Cook for a few minutes and transfer to the warmed up slow cooker.

Fill the peppers with meat mixture, gently pressing mix to make sure the pepper is fully filled. Place upright into pot on top of tomato base.

Cook for 4-5 hours on low.

Give each person a whole pepper for plating beauty. Cut the pepper in half and then top each half with some of the tomato base. Serve with a green vegetable of your choosing.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!